OREANDA-NEWS. December 27, 2007. Irkutskenergo Company, within the limits of the investment program, plans to construct in the Irkutsk area at least two thermal gas sources - on the north of the region in the area of Ust Kut or Kirensk and in the right bank district of Irkutsk. Sergey Emdin, General Director of Irkutskenergo, reported on this at the press conference. However, he said that for realization of these projects it is necessary to achieve agreement with Gazprom Company about the price of gas. S.Emdin noted that now the price proposed by Gazprom, in spite of the fact that it the lowest all over Russia, does not suit consumers who will receive thermal energy from the company. "I suppose it is not a secret that the Irkutsk area is unique, and the price decisions on gas which are absolutely acceptable on the whole territory of the Russian Federation, and even the best decisions, they, unfortunately, frequently are not reasonable here. But, on the other hand, we are a region-manufacturer of gas, therefore, I think, potentially exclusive decisions are possible for the Irkutsk area," S.Emdin noted. He also emphasized that the most important thing is that manufacturers of gas should understand that the price should be established proceeding from the parity of other kinds of fuel.

S.Emdin also declared that for the company it is essentially important that gas should come to Irkutsk, especially to the city centre. There is no infrastructure for development of coal generation in the right bank part of the city, but this is the part which most roughly develops and, accordingly, there are thermal loadings here. In S. Emdin's opinion, it is a good place for construction of the station which "will support these new loadings and will create the element of reliability which today is lacking in Irkutsk". Besides, the new boiler house will allow to improve ecological situation in the city as small boiler houses are not equipped with any protective means. "Therefore, in our conversations with Gazprom and administration of the Irkutsk area, we emphasize that Irkutsk needs a gas station," he underlined.

Also within the limits of the investment program, the projects for development of networks in the north of the region are planned: this is both the northeast of the area in the region of oil-and-gas deposits, and the northwest of the area in the region of Taishet, Ust-Ilim-Ust-Kut line.

S.Emdin told that for realization of projects within the limits of the investment program, all accessible resources will be used: borrowed and proper funds, additional issue. "As for the network construction, we hope for attraction of means of the investment fund," he noted.

According to Mr. Emdin's words, all facilities, with few exceptions, were included in the plan of placement of industrial forces and now pass coordination in the ministries and departments which are involved in approval of these projects.

The investment program planned projects which are supposed to be realized in the nearest five - ten years; charges on its realization will equal 90 billion rubles.